Week 4

[jt24]

Plodded through the 3 runs for this week but I cannot sustain even my slowest pace for 5 minutes I guess I just keep repeating until I can? Not too disheartened as went on a walk today and my overall pace/stamina has definitely improved but feel a little worried that I'll never manage to run 5! Any recommendations?

[totalbeginner Graduate]

You are making progress its not easy to start the couch to 5k. I ewasriddled with self doubt but i did it and honestly i really believe anyone can if i can. I would not worry about speed at this stage. You could repeat week 4 if you feel you need to. I know it sounds counter intuitibe but try to start off running slightly slower on your next run if you feel you can to try to sustain a constant pace.

Saying that, as long as you are managing to complete all the runs in week 4 without having any walk breaks I would proceed onto week 5. Its still very early days to worry about anything other them buikdimng confidence and stamina . I used to run the same route and that was a great moitivator as every week or so I found I was getting further round by the time I finished the cool down walk

[totalbeginner Graduate in reply to totalbeginner]

So sorry all the typos. I'm tired and using my tablet

[jt24 Graduate in reply to totalbeginner]

My day 3 was better but I did still need a short walk break in the 5 minute sections so I will repeat. I've found a great place for plodding around so I will try and slow down and focus on the landmarks and 'see' the differences. Cheers

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

What about breathing, this can make a big difference to me. I breathe deeply and slowly even on my warm up walk to get the oxygen flowing. Then while I'm running, I do the same again. I agree that running slowly is also important - you will be able to speed up once u graduate

[LauraLouP Graduate]

I would try that week again until you do the runs without stopping but don't worry about it becoming comfortable. If you do them move on!

I repeated a week and went back a week or two after an illness and a holiday so don't worry if it takes longer than 9 weeks. A lot of us did and we are still here living running.

You are on the road and doing so much more than so many - well done!!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

My suggestion would be that if and when you hit a point where you are not going to be running when Laura says you should be, you walk for the rest of the podcast rather than walking or stopping and picking up again. It will help your fitness (it's great that you are already seeing it) but will get you out of a potential 'taking a break' mindset. You'll do anything to keep going, take smaller steps, even run on the spot if you are near the end of the run segment... and you will have a very clear marker of progress.

[Rignold]

what is it that is preventing you? Getting out of breath? legs overtired?

If its breath, just slow down. I know you may think you are going slowly at the moment but there is always slower. And slower is better. When i did the programme I struggled massively with breathing and pace right the way through until about W6 or 7 when I had an epiphany while out playing with my then 3 yr old son - I realised that 'running' around with him at toddler pace did not wear me out at all. It was more 'pretend running' than what I would call actual running but it occurred to me that really there isn't a difference. It is all running. So next time I went out I applied the same approach. I may not have done quite such exaggerated movements and didn't make the nee-naw police car noises I did with my son either, but it was an eye-opener (and an airway opener) in terms of running and stamina. The psychological pressure was off and suddenly the distances were attainable.

There is always time to increase speed again once you have the distance.

[jt24 Graduate]

Thanks everyone x Despite my snail pace it is my breathing so I will definitely try and slow down even more to get through it all. I hadn't even considered running on the spot to finish a section, I obviously haven't fully realised that slow can be r e a l l y exceptionally slow but still beneficial. I do still feel awfully self conscious when I'm plodding along. I find it hard slowly approaching walkers and barely being able to get round them so I have a tendency to panic and breathe/run differently when I see people so I just need to learn to focus on 'me' more and block the other stuff out too. It's better than it was though and I know it's ridiculous. As a walker I have never considered any plodder to be anything but a well-applauded tryer, it's annoying how mind-gremlins can get in the way!

[vivster Graduate]

I'm finding the programme is teaching me that running is something you can do slowly and consistently, like walking.

It feels like childhood and school programmed me to think of running as something done as quickly as possible with a visible endpoint (the other end of the 100m track, or a circuit of the gym or whatever). when we did cross country there was no attempt to teach us how to sustain the run (or if there was I didn't pay any attention). I just feel like I'm beginning to learn that now.

[hannah141 Graduate in reply to vivster]

So true! I always skipped cross country because I always felt like you had to be as quick as the fastest runner. I usually came in about 3 from the back which is no good for a non sporty girl's self esteem. No-one had ever taught me how to run - about pace, breathing, mind gremlins - all the important stuff.

[Calliope99]

I'm in week 5 and I find that as the runs get longer my best strategy is finding a great playlist, cranking up the volume right before the running part starts, then hiding the display on my phone so that I'm able to zone out and not hyper focus on time. When I can see the seconds creeping by, I feel slow and exhausted but when I'm just jamming out to Nikki Minaj praising me and all the other sexy curvy girls up in the club, well then time goes a bit faster and before you know it, it's time to walk again. Now whether or not that's going to be sufficient to get me thru the W5R3 20-minute run remains to be seen (I am definitely worried about that!!), but so far it's helped me make it thru all the smaller increases - not always easy, but at least possible! So maybe I'm saying the same basic thing as your previous commenter who played with his son - make it fun, whatever that means for you, play and enjoy!